Polar bear Victoria 'off show in case pregnant'

Victoria was brought to the Highland Wildlife Park, which also has two male bears, last year

A female polar bear at a Scottish zoo has been temporarily put off limits to visitors as a precaution in case she is pregnant.

Victoria mated with a male bear at the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig, near Aviemore, earlier this year.

To protect her from being disturbed if she is pregnant, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said she had been taken "off show".

If she does raise a cub or cubs, they would be born in December or January.

RZSS said it was not possible to say at this stage if Victoria was pregnant.

Polar bear cubs were last born in the UK almost 25 years ago.

Victoria was brought to Scotland from Aalborg Zoo in Denmark last year and is kept in an enclosure about a mile away from the park's two males, Arktos and Walker. She previously raised cubs in 2008.

Arktos was moved to Victoria's enclosure for a short time earlier this year.

Polar bear cubs have not been born in the UK for more than 20 years